Are you considering becoming a registered nurse? Nursing is becoming a booming occupation within the field of medicine which is both challenging and rewarding. It is one of the fields where you have to be properly prepared before you can be qualified to work. They are highly trained medical professionals who assist doctors and take care of patients by providing medicine, conducting tests, amongst many other duties.

We have the steps you need to take to ensure you can become a registered nurse.

Step 1: High School Graduation

Graduating high school is the first step to becoming a registered nurse. It is also helpful if you take courses that start the foundation of your nursing career. Courses such as biology, mathematics, psychology, English, and anatomy and physiology will help start your path to becoming a nurse.

Step 2: Nursing Degree Program

There are numerous different paths to becoming a nurse as far as studies go after high school. The first of which is through a diploma course. A diploma in nursing generally takes about 3 years to complete and is offered by hospitals. However, the course load is less extensive as degree holders which results in the possibility of fewer advancements in terms of career.

An associate degree in nursing is another route you can take to become a nurse. Associate degrees are for 2 years and offered at community colleges. They are good for entry-level positions in nursing at hospitals and other medical facilities. You can take an exam to become a registered nurse after an associate degree or even go ahead and obtain a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

The final route to becoming a nurse is doing a 4-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing. This is probably the most practical and efficient approach to becoming a nurse as it prepares you both theoretically and practically. You will have a lot more options to do what you want once you obtain a bachelor’s degree. You can go into teaching, consulting and administrative, or become a practicing nurse.

Step 3: Obtain a license

In order to become a registered nurse in the US, you are required to pass the National Council Licensure’s Examination for a registered nurse. It is a comprehensive exam that lasts 6 hours and you will be tested to assess your understanding of care management, psychosocial and physiological integrity, health promotions skills, basic care amongst many other things.

Once you have obtained your license you can practice nursing in any medical facility you like. Hospitals employ around 61% of the registered nurses in the US while the rest tend to work in institutions. So best of luck in getting the qualifications to become a registered nurse.